Online resources

This is where you can find a variety of practical help and the latest in museum and gallery thinking.

We’ve divided our resources into fact sheets, templates, ‘How to’ guides as well as resources developed by external professional organisations.

There is also a large selection of education kits and M&G’s research.

If there’s something you need or can’t find, contact us and we’ll do our best to fill that gap.

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

This protocol guide, developed by the Australia Council endorses the rights of Indigenous people to their cultural heritage and supports Indigenous creative practice. This protocol guide encourages self-determination and helps build a strong and diverse Indigenous arts sector.

Prepare an Acknowledgment of Country Statement

A Welcome to Country is normally performed by an Elder of the local Indigenous language group. An Acknowledgment of Country can be performed in the absence of an Indigenous representative.

Reconciliation Australia

First stop for Aboriginal resources for museums.

Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

In working respectfully with Indigenous communities there are several important protocols worth knowing and understanding.

Introduction to Access

A guide to making museums and galleries physically, culturally, socially, intellectually, attitudinally and financially accessible.

The Care and Handling of Library Collections

The Sherman Fairchild Center for Book Conservation, Thomas J. Watson Library, has put together this video on the care and proper handling of library materials.

Digital Preservation Handbook

This Handbook provides a practical guide to managing digital resources over time and the issues in sustaining access to them.

Airborne Particles in Museums

This study from The Getty Conservation Institute represents part of a series of research activities aimed at a better understanding of the origin and fate of air pollution within the built environment.

Shopping list: flood recovery

List of supplies for onsite flood disaster management.

Caring for collections work book

This how to guide provides an overview of how to care for book and document and why this is important. By the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre.

Cleaning in museums

This how to guide by History SA takes you through a cleaning regime for the museum space, display and storage areas and individual objects.

Visual Glossary of conservation terms

This web resource is a set of photographic images which describe damage and deterioration in object collections.

Combatting mould

This how to pamphlet by Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is all about how to combat mould in the wet season.

Handling Museum Objects

Preventive conservation starts with careful handling. This M&G how to guide takes you through some guidelines on how to handle objects.

Handling paper, paintings and framed objects

This how to sheet by M&G will take you through the steps of handling papers, paintings and framed objects.

Handling textiles, furniture, ceramics and glass objects

This how to guide by M&G will show you how to handle textiles, furniture, ceramics and glass objects.

Identify medical objects in museum collections

This how to by M&G NSW takes you through the steps of identifying medical objects in your collection and why it is important to do so.

Managing pests in the collection

This how to sheet from History SA will assist you with Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Pack and store books

This online resource will help you manage the conservation needs of books in your collection.

Plan and prioritise for collection care

A collection care how to guide by SHARE Museums East.

Preventive conservation

This how to guide looks at practical steps you can take to ensure the protection, safety and security of your collection. By Te Papa National Services.

NGV Artists’ Colourmen resource

This how to guide assists in the identification and dating of paintings using Artists' Colourmen stamps.

Caring for photographic collections

This how-to guide includes common causes of deterioration and several quick tips for preventing damage to photographic collections.

Condition Reports – the Essentials

There are several different types of condition reports and many sorts of condition reporting forms. This guide outlines the essentials of creating a thorough and accurate report.

Environmental guidelines: an interim position

This report addresses changes to the Environmental Guidelines for storage and display of collections in museums and galleries.

Condition Reports – A ‘How-To’ Guide

This guide outlines the equipment and vocabulary commonly used when creating condition reports.

Caring for Historic Farm Machinery

This publication is for museums and historical societies with heritage collections, museum advisors and private collectors.

Guidelines for the care of media artworks

This site aims to be a resource for collectors, artists, and institutions of all sizes caring for works of art that have moving image, electronic, and digital elements.

Collections Care Manual

The Collections Care Manual developed by Western Australian Museum is an online resource developed for small museums, galleries and private collectors.

Preservation of historic leather, including saddlery

This how to guide looks at practical steps you can take to ensure the protection of historic leather objects, including saddlery.

Looking after silver

This sheet explains how to clean silver and how to slow down the corrosion process.

A simple mount for photos and documents

Photos and documents can be protected with this simple mount for display.

Scanning photographs

This resource takes you through the process of scanning and making digital copies of photographs in your collection.

How to make a book support for display

This resource provides instructions to make a simple archival book support for display.

How to make photo corners for display

This resource gives step by step instructions on how to effectively secure photos or documents to an archival backboard for display.

Why aren’t you wearing gloves? The conservators’ guide to object handling in the British Museum

To help clear up confusion, the British Museum asked their conservators to explain when you should (and shouldn't) wear gloves while handling museum objects.

Paper Research website

National Archives launched a website about paper research.

How to brush vacuum an object

Removing dust and dirt by brush vacuuming (surface cleaning) can be very beneficial for many material types.

Light damage and light control

Light damage is cumulative and irreversible but can be minimised.

A guide to interpreting horse-drawn carriages in museum collections

This guide brings together best practice in the interpretation of carriages to help museums bring them to life. Developed by the Staffordshire Carriage Collection.

Collection Management Systems

This resource outlines the key considerations in the purchase and use of CMS programs and contains a list of some of the most commonly used software.

Choose collections software

Not sure which collections management software to choose? Collections Trust has developed a web tool that allows you to select your preferred requirements and features.

Contemporary Collecting Toolkit

This toolkit is an introduction to contemporary collecting for museum staff and volunteers who don’t have direct experience of acquiring recent material and who want to understand the basics.

Australian best practice guide to collecting cultural material

This guide describes the ethical and legal issues that museums, galleries and libraries need to consider when they acquire or borrow cultural material.

Acquisition fact sheet

This M&G fact sheet takes you through the formal process of obtaining legal possession by purchase, donation or through bequest of an item.

Acquisition register template

Easily document your object accessions using this template.

Collections Law

The Collections Law website provides resources for those working in an archive, gallery, museum or library.

Cataloguing

Fact sheet about cataloguing for museum collections, including a template resource.

Collection policies

This resource explains what a collection policy is, its importance and how to develop one.

Computer Cataloguing Databases

This 'thinking about' resource by M&G tells you about the advantages and limitations of cataloguing your collection using a database.

Deaccessioning and Disposal

This fact sheet by M&G NSW takes you through the process of deaccessioning and disposing of objects in your collection.

Deed of gift form

You can use this template to document the transfer of ownership of donated objects.

Identify prints and photos

Online resource for all identifying all print types.

Inward Loan sample agreement

This template gives you the basics of inward loans agreements

List of approved valuers

This is a list of approved valuers under the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Loans Fact Sheet

This M&G fact sheet explains the process of documenting museum loans.

Outward Loan sample agreement

This template gives you the basics of outward loan agreements

Sample Loan register

This is sample Loan register gives you an easy way to document your loans

Cultural Gifts Program Guide

The Cultural Gifts Program encourages Australians to donate items of cultural significance from private collections to public art galleries, museums, libraries and archives.

Bequests fact sheet

Bequests are one means of acquiring objects or financial support. Museums and galleries need to be aware of some important legal and management considerations in this area.

Reviewing collections

A guide to support museums in considering and selecting appropriate methodologies to guide the rationalisation of their collections.

First Aid to Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis

This two-part publication will help you to plan and implement coordinated cultural rescue and risk reduction operations.

Bushfire!

Much of NSW is bushfire prone. And that means if you have a collection, whether it be a moveable one or a historic site you’ll need to be prepared.

Not all is lost in a fire

Step-by-step approach for salvaging objects after a fire.

How to Develop a Disaster Plan

This is a 'how-to' guide by M&G that describes the steps involved with developing a disaster plan.

Digital Engagement: Connecting with your audience

This guide is intended for anyone planning to use digital technologies to enhance the galley or museum experience and needing to engage external resources/contractors to do so.

Digital Suppliers List for Museums and Galleries

A list of suppliers for anyone planning to use digital technologies to enhance the galley or museum experience.

Design Approaches to Digital Projects – A Beginners Guide

A guide to developing a digital or transmedia project for your museum or gallery, utilising interactive devices, smartphones and tablets.

Social Media: Making sure your Historical Society gets its share of the limelight

Written and prepared by Suzanne Holohan, General Manager, Royal Australian Historical Society. This handout is from a presentation given at the 2019 RAHS Conference.

ICOM Social Media Guidelines

The communications team at ICOM has developed these guidelines, to share best practice, as well as tips on how to create communication campaigns and efficiently manage social media accounts.

Crystal Clear: standards and guidance for digitising regional collections

This step-by-step guide addresses all the challenges of digitising objects held in regional museums, galleries and Aboriginal keeping places.

The GIFT Box: tools and ways of working to help museums make richer digital experiences for their visitors

A set of open-source tools and ways of working, with the aim to help museums and other cultural heritage institutions to offer richer digital experiences for their visitors.

Digital Culture Compass

A FREE online toolkit to support arts, culture and heritage organisations to integrate digital technology into their work.

Digital Pathways

Resources to help support staff and volunteers in museums, arts and heritage organisations in developing digital skills and literacies, understand and use digital tools and channels, hand-picked by Culture24.

Artificial Intelligence: A Museum Planning Toolkit

A free planning toolkit to help museums develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects, developed by The Museums + AI Network.

Museum Digital Strategy: Examples and Resources

A showcase of digital strategy documents and related resources from leading museums and cultural organisations.

Getting your organisation listed on Google (My Business)

Put your organisation information on Google Search and Maps, so that customers can find you, no matter what device they're using.

Facebook – how and why

Creating a Facebook page for your organisation.

Facebook Evaluation

A guide to evaluating the success and statistics of your Facebook page for small museums and galleries.

How to photograph a painting or two-dimensional artwork

Photographing prints and paintings for documentation or reproduction.

Twitter for influencers

Review those who follow you, identify the influencers and assist with developing your Twitter strategy.

Digital definitions for small museums

What exactly is a digital asset? Confused by technology and wanting to sort your modems from your routers and find out what a tablet is? Then let’s start at the very beginning.

Copyright and the Digital Economy

This discussion paper by the Australian Law Reform Commission is about copyright and the digital economy.

Digitising Your Collection – Part 1 Project Planning

This 'thinking about' resource takes you through the first step of digitising your collection - planning your project.

Digitising Your Collection – Part 2 The Golden Rule of Digitisation

This 'thinking about' resource takes you through the golden rule of digitisation, 'capture once, use many times'.

Digitising Your Collection – Part 3 Technical Specifications

This 'thinking about' resource takes you through the technical specifications of a digitisation project.

Digitising Your Collection – Part 4 Scanning and Handling Tips

This 'thinking about' resource takes you through some scanning and handling tips.

Digitising Your Collection – Part 5 Metadata and Access

This 'thinking about' resource discusses metadata and how to provide access to your digitised collection.

Culture is Digital

Policy Paper - Using technology to drive audience engagement, boosting the digital capability of cultural organisations and unleashing the creative potential of technology. Developed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, United Kingdom.

How-to: Do oral history

This is an M&G guide on how-to do oral history, including why and how.

How to use Instagram to engage audiences

Museum Hack look at four Instagram accounts from museums around the world who are doing it right when it comes to engaging audiences.

Digital Access to Collections Toolkit

Practical tools for volunteers and staff in small to medium museums, galleries, libraries and archives in Australia that are collecting digital items, undertaking digitisation, and providing online access to their collections.

Social Media Toolkit for Cultural Managers

This manual explores how organisations can expand their online brand so as to push both the reach and significance of their current social media efforts using a range of tools.

Using Social Media to Engage Audiences

Social media is an important tool, allowing you to communicate to your audience and for them to communicate with you.

An ABC of Twitter

A quick how to guide to Twitter.

Digital Transformation in the Museum Industry

Produced in conjunction with Museums & The Web, this 15 page report draws on the views of more than 70 professionals working in museums across the world to explore the digital strategies of today’s museums and how they link to visitor engagement plans and focus areas for investment.

Creating your digitisation strategy

How you approach the planning of your digitisation work really depends on what kind of digitisation it is. Collections Trust UK has put together this practical strategy guide to help you through the process.

Object based learning for school groups in museums

Object-based learning in museums can offer something to all learners, whatever their learning style.

Working with children

This fact sheet by M&G gives you an overview of what you need to do if you are working with children within your organisation.

School excursions and risk management

This fact sheet by M&G takes you through school excursions and the responsibilities of museums and galleries in being a safe host environment.

3D For Museums, Galleries, Learning and Teaching

Practitioners and professionals from museums, galleries and higher education explore the possibilities of 3D technologies.

Art? Art! Art….

An audience development handbook for regional art galleries.

Artist Contracts and Agreements

This is an M&G fact sheet about artist loan and contracts and agreements.

Artists Fees and Wages

This is an M&G fact sheet about artist fees and wages.

Exhibition labelling

Not sure what to write on your labels? Here's a guide on what to include; how to order the information; and how to strategically place labels in exhibitions.

Basic Install Tips – 2D Hanging

Some basic tips for 2D artwork installation.

Basics of touring an exhibition

This is an M&G fact sheet addressing the basics of touring an exhibition.

Curatorial Toolkit

This is a toolkit developed by 2010 Legacies Now to assist with the entire curatorial process, from researching an idea right to installing the exhibition.

How to create a small exhibition for your museum

By Museums Australia Victoria

Facility Reports

This is an M&G fact sheet on facility reports for touring exhibitions.

Introduction to Lighting

This is a fact sheet about lighting for displays.

National Exhibition Register

The NETS Australia National Exhibition Register features touring exhibitions available for your venue.

So you want to plan an exhibition? A checklist

A list of points to consider when you are planning an exhibition, developed by Arts OutWest.

Using projectors in a gallery space

This M&G NSW resource outlines the factors to consider when selecting and installing a projector and contains a troubleshooting guide for common issues you might encounter.

How to promote an upcoming exhibition

Publicity and PR is all about building a positive profile and raising awareness - This resource was developed as part of M&G NSW's Engaging Art initiative.

How to Engage with Young People

How can you attract young people to your museum or gallery, and more importantly how can you motivate and retain a young audience - This resource was developed as part of M&G NSW's Engaging Art initiative.

Media players

This M&G fact sheet looks at a number of currently available media players for showing video in Museums & Galleries.

Crowdfunding

Everything you need to know when running a crowdfunded project from pros and cons, how to prepare, various platforms to use, and deciding on rewards.

Writing a grant application? Tips for success

Read this before you start your application.

Writing for success

An M&G how-to resource on writing for success.

Project management of grants

This M&G NSW resource will take you through some key points of grant project management.

The Rewards of Risk

Harlan Hall from Berrima District Museum talks about how to secure funds in a volunteer regional museum. This is from Access to Funding 2014.

The low-down on crowdfunding

Effective crowdfunding can help raise much needed funds for one off projects.

Strategic planning for Museums and Galleries

This fact sheet unpacks what's in a Strategic Plan and explains how to prepare one.

Checklist for New Museum Building Projects

This is a resource from Museums Galleries Scotland about new building projects. It covers everything from the building, the needs of the collection and management and costs.

Planning a new museum

This M&G fact sheet is is a checklist of important things to consider if you are planning a new museum.

Just because it’s old: museums and galleries in heritage buildings

This publication will help you understand the issues involved in setting up a museum or gallery, and the problems and the advantages of using an old or heritage building.

Change is Inevitable: The Essentials of Succession Planning

Webinar presented by the California Association of Museums - Succession planning keeps your organisation moving forward during the inevitable changes that come with running a nonprofit.

Writing a Strategic Plan

Create NSW guide for Independent Arts & Cultural organisations - multi-year funding program.

Planning a Regional Gallery

A public art gallery is an important cultural and social focus for any community. Here is a checklist for what to consider and plan for.

Image Licence Template

Use this template to create your own image licence.

Not for Profit Law Information Hub

Legal resources for not for profit organisations.

Copyright: the basics

Definitions and terms explained.

Taxation requirements for not-for-profits

Australian Taxation Office requirements for NFP non-government organisations.

Legal requirements: Insurance and compliance

Legal requirements for not-for-profit, non-government museums, galleries and Aboriginal keeping places in NSW.

Marketing for Museums

An introduction to the fundamentals of marketing and the importance of understanding your audience.

Align your business plan with local council policies and objectives

Strategic planning resource on aligning your cultural Business Plan with NSW local council policies and objectives.

Arts advocacy

Develop an arts advocacy strategy using this M&G how-to guide.

Arts Leadership

A seminar looking at the challenges of leadership in contemporary arts organisations and asks the question: what is needed for successful leadership in the arts?

Communicating a creative vision

Strategic planning resource for creative and community based organisations.

Cultural Policy

An insight into what changes there will be for the artist community because of new National Cultural Policy.

Describing your Brand

The importance of a single message and being 'on brand' when developing a strategic or communications plan.

National Standards

These are the national standards for Australian museums and galleries.

Rebranding for Cultural Organisations

The decision to rebrand represents both a risk and opportunity - know what to consider if taking this step.

Tourism with integrity

Best practice strategies for cultural and heritage organisations in the tourism industry.

Writing a press release

A step by step guide to preparing a press release.

Putting together a brief for a consultant

What to consider when preparing a project brief for a potential consultant.

Tax guide for arts organisations

This guide will help not-for-profit arts/cultural organisations and individual artists understand the formalities associated with receiving philanthropic income.

Cultural Tourism Toolkit

Designed to assist small regional communities to enhance, profile and package their cultural offering.

Audience Research Toolkit

The Audience Research Toolkit, developed by Creative Victoria, is a one stop shop for anyone wanting to understand their market and identify gaps and growth areas.

2018 NSW Museum & Gallery Sector Census

The overall objective of this study was to gain factual and reliable data for the sector on collections, staffing levels, facilities, funding and visitation.

Who’s Coming? Respectful Audience Surveying Toolkit

Do you know who's coming to your events and programs - and who isn't? The team at OF/BY/FOR ALL has developed a toolkit to give you a free, simple, step-by-step guide to collecting high-quality participant data. You can use it to create a plan, build a survey, and start collecting data right away.

An economic value study

This M&G NSW study reveals the positive contribution to local and regional communities and their economies made by the council-operated museums, galleries and performing arts centres.

Horizon Reports

The Horizon Reports are a publication of the New Media Consortium and the Marcus Institute for Digital Education in the Arts. New technology trends, impacts and challenges are identified and discussed and each technology is explored in detail with case studies.

National Touring Survey Report

The National Touring Survey collected responses from 95 small to medium public galleries, university and community art galleries from across Australia in early 2013.

2013 NSW Museum and Gallery Sector Census and Survey

Early in 2013, M&G NSW undertook a comprehensive census and survey of the sector. Find out the results here.

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery: NSW state report

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery? is a strategic audience evaluation study spanning from 2007 to 2010 undertaken by M&G.

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery: Sydney metro report

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery? is a strategic audience evaluation study spanning from 2007 to 2010 undertaken by M&G.

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery: Hunter and Western Sydney report

Guess Who’s Going to the Gallery? is a strategic audience evaluation study spanning from 2007 to 2010 undertaken by M&G.

Adding Value!

How cultural facilities contribute to the local economies of the NSW Evocities.

GLAM Innovation Study

Challenges and Opportunities for Australia’s Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums

Guess Who’s Going to the Museum?

This study is an initiative of M&G NSW. It examines museum audiences, their similarities, as well as their differences to gallery audiences.

Understanding Museums: Australian Museums and Museology

A history of museums in Australia since the 1970s, covering issues in museology, regional museums and galleries, Indigenous people and museums, art museums, science museums, and museums and history.

Risk Assessment and Management for Exhibition Content

This resource, produced by M&G NSW and NETS Victoria, outlines how to develop a risk management strategy for exhibitions that may contain content that could be perceived to be controversial, provocative or have the potential to offend certain members of your community, audience or stakeholder groups.

Hazardous Materials in Medical Collections

This is a fact sheet by M&G which details materials in medical museum collections that may present a danger, either to museum workers and visitors, or to other objects in the collection

Hazardous material assistance and advice organisations

This is a list by M&G of contact details for organisations that can help you with hazardous materials.

Hazardous materials–written reference list

This is a list by M&G of references which can assist you when dealing with hazardous materials.

Hazardous materials in museum collections

This is a fact sheet by M&G which details materials in general museum collections that may present a danger, either to museum workers and visitors, or to other objects in the collection.

Risk management

This is a fact sheet by M&G all about risk management.

Museum security fact sheet

This fact sheet includes tips for reducing susceptibility to burglary or theft in your museum.

Organising your collection store

A video from Museums Australia Victoria showing you how to organise your collection store.

Storage materials to avoid

A fact sheet from Museums Galleries Scotland providing an overview of storage materials which can cause damage to collection items.

Collection storage: Shelving

This is an M&G fact sheet about different types of shelving for your collection.

Storage and display: Suitable and unsuitable materials

This list by M&G list which sorts commonly used materials such as wood products, coatings, adhesives and fabrics into suitable and unsuitable categories.

Storage and Display Supplier List

This resource includes contact details for suppliers specialising in display cases, signage, mannequins and storage.

Creating New Income: a toolkit to support creative practice

Creating New Income Toolkit is a new resource to help individual creatives and small-to-medium organisations generate new income streams and increase their sustainability.

Museums and the Sustainable Development Goals

A how-to guide for museums, galleries, the cultural sector and their partners.

Sustainability and heritage

This resource has a conservation perspective on issues such as sustainability and the built environment and the impact of climate change on cultural heritage. By the Getty Conservation Institute.

Sustainability and Museums

The Museums Association has issued this discussion paper to encourage people to think about museums and sustainability.

Museums Change Lives

This resource by Museums Association is their vision for the increased social impact of museums.

Energy Efficiency and Historic Buildings

This free to download publications from Historic England includes a suite of technical advice and guidance on improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings.

Sustainable climate control and lighting

Make informed decisions around economically and environmentally sustainable methods of exhibition practice and collections care.

Clever Custodians

Quick tips and initiatives for improving the energy efficiency of small-to-medium museums and galleries.

Sustainable lighting in museums and galleries explained

Interview with Julian Bickersteth of International Conservation Services about sustainable lighting solutions.

Cultural Merchandising

This is a presentation from the Regional & Public Galleries Conference 2014. Stephen Quin will outline the keys to success in cultural merchandising.

Technology free interactives

Easy ways to make your museum more interactive.

Museum fatigue

Museum Hack discusses museum-friendly spaces from a 1916 paper.

Attract new museum audiences

Drawn from the workshop titled Community, Collaboration, Change presented by Rebecca Jones as part of the 2015 Standards Program.

How to Conduct Audience Research

Audience research is about finding out who your existing visitors and program participants are and why they come. This guide explains the steps of planning, designing, testing, collecting, reflecting and acting.

How to Develop a Public Program

Public programs are a core way that galleries and museums engage with audiences and attract new visitors. This guide covers all aspects of designing public programs that are meaningful cultural experiences.

Open Up: museums for everyone

A practical guide to support museums to increase the diversity of their visitors.

Not-for-profit Law – National Volunteer Guide

The laws surrounding volunteering can be complex, the National Volunteer Guide covers the key legal obligations organisations owe their volunteers.

Friends of the Museum

One way of generating ongoing support for the museum is to establish a Friends Program.

Statement of principles for the recognition of volunteers

NSW Volunteering's principles for fairness, respect and dignity.

Skills Audit Template

Assess the skills of volunteers and identify skill development needs.

Volunteer succession planning: a ‘how-to’ guide

How to retain current volunteers and plan for new ones.

Volunteer registration form template

This is a volunteer registration form template. You can use it as a guide or just insert your own details.

Managing Volunteers in Museums & Cultural Collections

Ten things you should know if you are managing volunteers.

Interns can transform your organisation

Get your organisation involved with an intern program.

Intern report: Willoughby Museum

Read how Alexis Tay has contributed to the Willoughby Museum.

Develop a Volunteer Policy

This M&G resource explains the essential elements of a volunteer policy. It can be used as a template or a guide to develop your own comprehensive volunteer policy.

Introduction to museum volunteers

An introductory guide to planning for, recruiting and training volunteers in your museum. Developed by Museums Galleries Scotland.